Post puller



Oct. 14, 1930.

L. V. MCMANUS Filed May 14 1928 POST FULLER variety.

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 LEO V. MCMANUS, OF EMERY, SOUTH DAKOTA POST :FULLER Application led May 14,

My invention relates to a post puller and has for its object to provide a knock-down machine of simple, durable and inexpensive` construction.

' More particularly, it is my object to provide a machine of this class including` a fulcrum and a lever, the fulcrum being connected to the lever by a removable pin.

Another object of my invention is to pro* vide a machine having suflicient strength for the purpose of pulling posts.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a machine having a. very simple and eifective clamp and 'connecting mecha* nisin for engaging the post.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects con@ templated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device in operative position engaging a post.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the lever at its fulcrum.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the post engaging end of the machine.

F 4 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l.

I have used the reference character l() to indicate generally a post, the one illustrated in the drawing being of the present saeel The post puller of my invention has its most useful application 1n removing snow fences which are commonly put up along the highways before the snows of winter arrive and which are stationed ordinarily fifty or one-hundred feet back of the fence line on the private farm lands of an owner adjoining the highway.

This necessitates the removal of the snow f fencing in the springtime and my invention provides a verv rapid method of pulling the steel posts without bending or injuring them in any way.

The machine of my invention comprises a fulcrum 11, which may be either of wood or 192s. seriarNo. z'raess.`

metal, provided at its upper end with alongitudinal slot 12. The lever 13 is provided near Yone end with a handle 14 and near the other end with a fulcrum loop 15, having the eX- tended arms 16 bolted by means of bolts 17 .65

to the under side of the lever. Y

The lever is hinged upon the fulcruml 11 by means of a pin 30, extended through registering openings in the bifurcated portion of the fulcrum 11 and through the loop 15. U0 Thus it will be seen that the bifurcated portions of the fulcrum serve as lateral supports for the lever and the pressure of the pin against the lever which would be upwardly is carried bv the entire thickness of the lever. '65

Secured bv means of the same bolts 17 to the upper side of thelever is a strap 18. which extends over the end of the lever and is heut downwardly to form a finger 19.

A link 2O is Ahooked at one end through an '70 opening 21 in the linger 19 and at its other end supports a claw, indicated generally by the reference character A.

The claw A is formed of a heavy bar of steel or the like and is provided with the 7.5 opposed jaw portions 22 and Q3, connected by an intermediate portion 24, forming a U shaped claw or clamp. The 'j aw 23 is extended to form a hook 25, hooked into the link 20.

The link 20 is preferably S shaped, as shown, although other types of links could be successfully used. Itmay be also stated that a single link need not necessarily be employed butk a chain composed of several links 35 or a cablev would do as well.

The simplest and most effective link, however, is the single S shaped link shown. It may be more easily attached than any other type. 3

The hook 25 is so positioned relative to the U shaped portion of the claw that the plane of the latter will be perpendicular to the plane of the link 20, and consequently `perpendicular to the vertical plane in which the lever swings. Thus the claw may be brought to a horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 1 by simply reaching one finger beneath it and lifting upwardly, in which position it may he inserted around the post 10 so as to partially encircle the post.

The operator then lifts up enough on the lever to cause the two jaws 22 and 23 to Contact with the sides of the posts and the ulcrum 11 is then placed against the ground substantially parallel to the post.

Downward pressure upon the handle le. causes the short end of the lever to move upwardly, pulling upon the claw through the medium of the link 2O and wedging the aws .22 and 23 against the post. rlhe jaws will grip the post and further movement of the latter will cause the post to he pulled upwardly.

litt the upward limit ot movement of' the lever has been reached, it is again shifted to position somewhat as shown in Fig. l, the claw A dropping` to a lower position relative to the post, where it may gain a fresh hold.

During this pumping operation, the link 20 will swing in its vertical plane to coinpensate for the diflerence in the distance loetween the end of the lever and the claw the lever moves toward and from a. horizontal position.

The bolts 17 serve the double purpose of securing the loop 15 in place and of securing the strap '87 the lil, and 1.6 serve ing also as protective reinforcing hands for `he short end of the lever. The claw A might he linked directijf' te the .finger '1.9 bv twisting the linger or twisting the hook 25 at substantiallyv right angles to either of their positions shown in the drawings. rlhe claw would then be allowed to swing about a horizontal axis transverse to the lever, nf'hich is necessary.

Some changes may he made in the construction and arrangement of the' parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of mv invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may he reasonably included within their scope.

l claim as inv invention:

ln a post puller, a tule-funn a hinge pin supported hy said fulcruin, a. lever, a loop fixed to one side of the lever near its end, and receiving the hinge pin, the lever resting ahove the pin, terminir short and long lever arms, a strap secured to the upper side ci the short arinnv secured by an element ex- 'lending through the arms and also serving to secure the loop to the arm, and extending hejvond the end of the short arm, a link ely.'v secured to said strap, and a claw himself,T secured to z l the link, sais. claw hav- 1 t? shaped portion adapted to partially encircle a post, and to grip thepost when sulfijected to a pull transverse to its plane.l

Lno v. Mamans. 

